Roundabout and seasaw playground capsule

ABSTRACT

A playground capsule including an elongated tube of transparent material centrally supported for rotation about a vertical axis and pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The tube is provided with spiral undulations along its length and ground surface engaging spring or shock units at either end thereof.

I United States Patent nu 3,595,569

[72] Inventor James C. Holt: 156] References Cited 160! End Republican. p Seaflk. UNITED STATES PATENTS ml App No 3:1 2,328,852 9/1943 Shepherd o. 272/36 Filed Mu- B 969 2,720,395 I0/l955 Panske r. 272/30 [45] Patented July 27, I971 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerMarvin Siskind Attorney$eed, Berry & Dowrey [54] ROUNDABOUT AND SEASAW PLAYGROUND CAPSULE mchhm'snnwingm ABSTRACT: A playground capsule including an elongated I52] U.S. Cl 272/30, tube of transparent material centrally supported for rotation 272/33. 272/54 about a vertical axis and pivotal movement about a horizontal (.Sl] lnLCl. A63g 1/32 axis. The tube is provided with spiral undulations along its [50] Field oISarch 272/30 R, length and ground surface engaging spring or shock units at either end thereof.

PATENTEUJULZHH?! 3,595,569

+ 3 FIG-=2 JAMES C. HOLTE INVENTOR.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEETS This invention relates to an apparatus for handling sheets of paper. More particularly, it relates to an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed and claimed in the patent to Linden, U.S'. Pat. No. 3.255.652, issued June l4. I966, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In such prior apparatus, a web of material such as paper is fed to a shearing means so as to cut sheets of predetermined length from the leading end of the web. The thus cut sheets are first conveyed at high speed in sequential. spaced relationship away from the shearing zone. and are then slowed in their travel so that they are brought into overlapping, shinglcd relationship while travelling in the same direction. The sheets are slowed from their initial high speed to their subsequent slow speed by being dropped from a first, upper. high-speed conveyor onto a second, lower. low speed conveyor. The successive transfer of sheets from the first to the second conveyor causes the leading end of it subsequently fed sheet to overlap the trailing end of the last previously fed sheet.

In the described prior apparatus. first the leading end of the sheet. and then progressively more and more of the intermediate portion of the sheet rest upon the lower speed conveyor. while the remainder of the sheet rests upon the highspeed conveyor. This causes the sheet to tend to wrinkle or bunch up. since the trailing end of the sheet is travelling at a higher speed than its leading end during the time that the sheet is being transferred from the first to the second conveyor. Such tendency of the sheets to wrinkle is particularly pronounced when the sheets are of light, thin stock.

The apparatus of the present invention overcomes such difficulty. It efi'ects the transfer of sheets travelling at a high speed on one conveyor to a low speed on another conveyor by grasping the leading end of a sheet by an upper. high-speed conveyor. and by permitting the trailing end and intermediate portions of the sheet progressively to fall upon a lower. slowspeed conveyor while the leading end of the sheet remains grasped by the high-speed conveyor so as to travel therewith. Upon the release of the leading end of the sheet from the highspeed conveyor. periodically actuated presser members such as rolls engage the leading end of the sheet to reduce its speed to that of the low speed conveyor, thereby reducing the tendency of the sheet to wrinkle. and allowing the sheet to flatten to remove any wrinkles which may have fonned in it.

The apparatus of the present invention is also capable of handling sheets having lengths which vary over a very substantial range. the machine requiring only a few simple adjustmerits when the length of sheet to be processed is changed. As a result. the machine of the invention may be quickly and accurately changed to form and handle sheets of different lengths.

The invention has among its objects the provision of an improved, more facilely adjusted and operated apparatus for forming sheets of various lengths by shearing them from the leading end of a travelling web. forming them into a travelling stream of sheets in shingled relationship with the leading end of each sheet overlying the trailing end of the previously fed sheet, and turnin the shingled sheets over while they travel in the direction of their lengths.

Another object of the present invention is the provision. in a machine of the described character. of improved mechanism for slowing sheets from a first, higher speed to a second, slower speed in such manner as markedly to reduce the tendency of the sheets to wrinkle.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in the above-indicated combination. of mechanism whereby sheets of various desired lengths may be more effectively formed and handled while maintaining the speed of the web-shearing means constant.

A still further object of the invention is the provision. in the described apparatus, of a first conveyor downstream of the shearing mechanism. which may be adjusted to vary the longitudinal position of its grasping the leading end of a sheet. a

second conveyor. fed by the first conveyor. and means for varying the timing between the first and second conveyors as required by different lengths of sheets being processed.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a novel second conveyor having sheet-grasping means wherein the position of such sheet-grasping means thereon may be adjusted in accordance with the length of sheet being handled.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however. that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view in side elevation of apparatus in accordance with the invention, the figure showing means for feeding a web. means for cutting olfthe leading end of the web to form sheets, and sheet handling and conveying mechanism in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the sheet handling and conveying portion of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in plan of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary. somewhat schematic exploded view in perspective of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 2 and-3. the figure also showing schematically the means for driving and adjusting the conveyors of the apparatus relative to the webt'eeding means. the apparatus shown in the main being that above the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of one of the cogged belts of the second, upper high-speed conveyor of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view in perspective of the portion of the apparatus which lies upwardly beyond the section line 6-6 of FIG. 3, certain of the parts of the apparatus being broken away;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view partially in end elevation and partially in vertical transverse section of the portion of the apparatus in the vicinity of the turnover roll. the section being taken along the broken section line 7-7 of FIG. 3-,

FIG. 8 is a view in vertical section through the first, highspeed conveyor at the nip-fanning mechanism therein. the section being taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 3, certain of the parts being shown in elevation;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through the apparatus in the vicinity of the exit end of the first conveyor and the entrance ends of the second high-speed conveyor and of the third, low speed conveyor, the section being taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus in the vicinity of the exit end of the second, upper high speed conveyor and of the drop rolls which overlie the turnover roll. the section being taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 3;

(For simplicity of illustration. only one sheet being fed is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.)

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view in vertical transverse section through the apparatus and showing the manner of support of the rear end of a vacuum chamber from the vacuum manifold. the section being taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 9-. and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus at the location of one end of the nip forming device associated with the first conveyor. the section being taken along the line 12-11 of FIG. 8.

GENERAL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE APPARATUS The general construction and manner of operation of the apparatus of the invention will best be understood by referring to FIG. 1. wherein the apparatus is schematically shown. In such figure, a web of material 10 such as paper is fed from a supply roll 11 thereof through variable-speed feeding means 12 which is shown as including opposed pinch rolls which are driven by a constant-speed motor 13 having a drive shaft 14 through the medium of a variable-speed gearing device 15. The device 15, once adjusted, holds the web-forwarding speed of the feeding means 12 within close limits. The supply roll ll may be provided with a brake controlled by a dancer roll engaging the web in advance of the feeding means 12. Between the feeding means 12 and the supply roll II, the web may travel through a conventional decurler section. Since the webtensioning means and decurler section are well known and are not part of the present invention, they are not here illustrated.

The web-feeding means 12 forwards the web to a shearing means 16 which in this instance has a fixed bed knife 17 and a rotary knife 20 cooperating therewith, knife 20 being mounted upon a rotatable knife support 19 which is driven at constant speed by motor shah [4, as schematically indicated. The knife support 19 is spaced from the fixed bed knife [7 sufficiently for the web I0 to travel freely therebetween except when it is being engaged and sheared by the knives 17, 20. Thus the length of sheet 26 which is cut from the web 10 by the shearing means is determined by the speed at which the web is forwarded to the sear by the webfecding means 12.

The leading end of the web is graspingly engaged by a first conveyor 21 which travels at a speed which is substantially greater than that of the speed of travel of the web 10. Conveyor 21, which has an upper belt made up of a plurality of laterally spaced tapes 23 and a lower belt made up of a plurality of tapes 24 disposed in the longitudinal planes of the respective tapes 23, is provided with a longitudinally adjustable device 25 which determines the position of the nip between the upper and lower tapes at which the leading end of a sheet is initially grasped by the first conveyor. Means 25 is adjusted so that the first conveyor 21 grips the sheet 26 at the instant that the shearing operation by which the sheet is cut from the web is completed. As is set forth in the detailed description to follow, the nip between the tapes 23 and 24 of the upper and lower conveyors is not necessarily located exactly at the nipadjusting device 25; the nip may, for example, be at the location where the upper belts sag into substantial contact with the lower belts.

After being initially positively grasped by the conveyor 21 at the location of the nip-forming means 25, sheet 26 is fed forwardly in flat condition between the tapes 23, 24 and at the same speed as such tapes into the rear or entrance end of a second, upper conveyor 27 which is aligned with conveyor 2] and which travels at the same speed as conveyor 21. Conveyor 27 is provided with an upper belt which is actually composed of a plurality (three shown) of equally laterally spaced cogged or timing belts 29. Each of the belts 29 is disposed at the bottom of an elongated longitudinally disposed vacuum chamber 95 so as substantially to seal the open lower end of the chamber. Bach belt 29 is provided with at least one vacuumoperated sheet-grasping station thereon which is so located longitudinally of the belt as to grasp the leading end of a sheet 26 which has been forwarded thereto by the conveyor 21. The belts 29 of the second conveyor are spaced somewhat vertically above the upper surface of the tapes 32 ofa third, slowspeed conveyor 30 so that the leading end of the sheet 26 grasped by the belts 29 is elevated and the trailing end thereof sags downwardly into engagement with the tapes 32, as is illustrated in FIG. 10.

As the sheet 26 reaches the forward end of the effective length of the vacuum belts 29, the grasping of such leading end is terminated by cutting off the vacuum thereto so that the sheet as a whole falls downwardly upon the stream of sheets upon the tapes of the third slow-speed conveyor 30. The speed of conveyor 30 may be, for example, a small fraction of the speed of conveyors 2| and 27. As a result, subsequently fed sheet, as its forward end is released by the second conveyor 27, will be deposited upon the previously fed sheet with the leading end of the later fed sheet overlying the trailing end of the previously fed sheet.

The tapes 32 of the lower, slow-speed conveyor 30, at their forward ends pass partially about a relatively large diametered turnover drum 34. The thus shingled sheets, which continue to travel forwardly and now form a stream of sheets designated 38, pass to and partially around drum 34, the stream being generally retained against the tapes 32 running over the drum by arcuate outer guides 35 (FIG. 2) spaced from the drum.

In order both positively to feed the stream of sheets in synchronism with the turnover drum and to relieve the sheets of wrinkles which may be caused by their handling by the previous conveyors and/or the shingling operation on the slow-speed conveyor 30, there is provided a plurality of idle drop rolls 36 (three shown) which are spaced equally laterally of the conveyor 30 and cooperate with the turnover drum 34 and the tapes 32 entrained thereover which form parts of the third conveyor 30.

The drop rolls 36 are all affixed to a cross-shaft so as to move at the same time and in the same manner with respect to the turnover drum 34. The cross-shaft mounting-the drop rolls is operated by a cam and cam follower means generally designated 37, the cam being driven in synchronism with the conveyor 27. Such cam is of such configuration and so oriented with respect to the driving train for the apparatus that the leading end of a sheet 26 travels between the nip of the drop rolls and the turnover drum, the drop rolls then being in raised position to allow the leading end of the sheet to pass freely into such nip. The drop rolls are lowered to engage the sheet just rearwardly ofits forward end so as to slow the sheet, which is still travelling at a relatively high velocity, to the slower speed of the tapes 32 at the turnover drum 34. Because of such rapid decrease in velocity of the sheet, parts of the sheet rearwardly of the nip between the drop rolls and the tapes 32 at the drum are apt to wrinkle. The drop rolls are now lifted to free the sheet and to allow whatever wrinkles that have formed in it to smooth out. The drop rolls again are lowered so fltat the forward end of conveyor 30 drives the stream of shingled sheets 38 around the turnover drum and down a further, inclined conveyor 39 to a stacking station 40. The drop rolls remain in lowered position until the leading end of the next sheet approaches them.

At such stacking station there are provided a horizontal conveyor 41 and an end stop 42. The turned over shingled sheets forwarded to the stacking station have the trailing end of the first or uppermost sheet overlying the leading end of the next sheet. The continual travel of the conveyor 40 toward the stop 42 causes the sheets to be formed into a stack 44 which is continually replenished from the bottom, the sheets in the stack being edge aligned by the end stop 42. Such stack 44 has its upper end free for the removal of the uppermost sheet therefrom as by engagement with such sheet of a vacuum feeding means such as that shown in the above-referred-to Linden patent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SHEET-HANDLING APPARATUS Turning now to FIGS. 2-4, inclusive, it will be seen that the illustrative apparatus is provided with two parallel, laterally spaced, horizontal longitudinal side frame members 45 and 46 which are mounted on suitable supports (not shown) and held in spaced relationship by a number of crossmembers connected to them. In the embodiment shown, the first conveyor 21 is disposed at the left and the conveyors 27 and 30 are disposed at the right, the sheets 26 being formed and processed travelling from left to right. Such conveyors, as well as further conveyors to be described, are driven from the motor shaft 14 (FIG. 4), the drive proceeding from a sprocket on the motor shah to a first gearbox 50 through the medium of a chain 51 which is entrained over a sprocket 52 on the driven input shaft 53 of the gearbox 50. A clutch 49 adjustably connects the sprocket 52 to the input shaft 53 of gearbox 50; when the clutch is disengaged, the conveyor system therebeyond may be manually adjusted to bring the vacuum sheet-grasping stations I46, 147 on belts 29 of conveyor 27 into the correct position relative to the web-feeding means 12 ROUNDABOUT AND SEASAW PLAYGROUND CAPSULE This invention relates to playground toys generally, and more particularly to a novel and improved moving capsule adapted to receive a plurality of children.

The design of recreational equipment for children has, in recent years, deviated from the conventional designs for playground equipment long employed in the past. The new recreational equipment is designed to achieve simplification in construction while stimulating the interest of child users.

The playground capsule of the present invention combines the attributes of a conventional merry-go-round, sliding board and seesaw with a novel child carrying capsule adapted to transport child occupants through a diversity of movements.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel playground capsule of simple, durable construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel playground capsule adapted to receive and transport one or more children about both a horizontal and a vertical axis.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel playground capsule designed to perform diverse movements in response to the movement of children within the capsule.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel playground capsule of transparent material to afford a view to children transported within the capsule.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the playground capsule of the present invention;

H6. 2 is a view in side elevation of the playground capsule of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of H6. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the playground capsule of the present invention indicated generally at includes an elongated tube 12 mounted for movement relative to a base assembly 14. The tube 12 is preferably formed of transparent plastic material. such as polyethylene, and includes a plurality of undulations 12a, 12b and 12c along the length thereof to impart to the tube a spiral configuration. The tube should be of a diameter and length sufficient to enable two or more children to be received within the interior thereof, and for illustrative purposes, the tube may be approximately 3 feet in diameter and from [5 to 2l feet in length.

The undulations 12a and 12c at each end of the tube [2 are formed so that the ends of the tube open upwardly when the tube is horizontal as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, with the tube horizontal, a line along the diameter of one tube end opening 16 or 18 would be substantially parallel to the ground or support surface for the playground capsule 10.

To provide support and offset the natural flexibility of the plastic material forming the tube 12, a rigid keel of metal, such as lightweight aluminum, or similar rigid material is provided along the underside of the tube. This keel is shaped to conform to the configuration of the tube, and in cooperation with metallic bands 20 and 22, and a central metallic band 24 which encircle the tube, imparts rigidity thereto. The keel may be attached to the tube by any suitable means, but is generally held in against the tube by the central band 2,4.

The bands 20 and 22 are arranged at either end of the tube 12 and support ground engaging shock-absorbing units 26 and 28 These shock-absorbing units may constitute springs of a conventional type, resilient blocks of material, or other suitable means to cushion shock when the tube 12 contacts the ground and to provide a spring action beneath the ends of the tube. lt will be noted that the bands 20 and 22 are angled with respect to the ends of the tube so that the shock-absorbing units are between the tube and the ground when ground contact is made (see broken lines FIG. 2).

The central band 24 provides the mounting support for the tube 12. This band includes a lug 30 which is received between spaced mounting a'rms 32 and 34 which extend from the end of a pivot post 36. To provide a horizontal pivotal axis for the tube l2, a pivot pin 38 extends through the mounting arms 32 and 34 and the lug 30 so that the lug is free for pivotal movement about the pivot pin.

The pivot post 36 is centrally received within a support pillar 40 which forms part of the base assembly 14. The support pillar contains a central chamber to receive the pivot post and permit rotation thereof about a vertical axis relative to the support pillar. Suitable bearings of a known type may be mounted within the support pillar to facilitate rotational movement ofthe pivot post.

The support pillar 40 is secured to a ground engaging support 42, which for purposes of illustration, is shown in the drawings as an inverted, cone-shaped plate. It is recognized that a number of equivalent supports may be secured to the support pillar 40 to provide a base for the playground capsule It). For example, the support pillar may even be embedded in a concrete base buried in the ground.

In many instances, it is desirable to close one of the end openings of the tube 12, and for this purpose a cover plate may be secured to the tube to close one end opening thereof ln FIGS. l and 2, a cover plate 44 containing air access openings 46 is secured across the tube opening [8.

in the operation of the playground capsule 10, children slid ing along the undulations in the interior of the tube 10 cause the tube to pivot about the pivot pin 38 as illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 2. Also, side movement of a child through the off set spiral undulations of the tube results in rotation of the pivot post 36 within the support pillar 40. The transparency of the tube allows passengers to enjoy an aerial view when the playground capsule is in motion.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my now preferred illustrated embodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

lclaim:

l. A playground capsule comprising an elongated tube dimensioned to receive one or more children interiorly thereof and support assembly means secured to said tube for supporting said tube for motion about both a horizontal and a vertical axis located in a plane which passes through the capsule approximately midway between the ends of a capsule and generally transverse to the longest dimension.

2. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein said tube is formed with a plurality of curved undulations along the length thereof.

3. The playground capsule of claim 2 wherein said tube is formed of transparent, plastic material, said support assembly means including a support band secured about said tube centrally thereof, a vertically extending pivot post, means securing said support band to the upper end of said pivot post for pivotal movement relative thereto about a horizontal axis, and base means for receiving said pivot post, said base means permitting rotational movement of said pivot post about a vertical axis.

4. The playground capsule of claim 3 wherein said tube is provided with openings in either end thereof, the end sections of said tube adjacent said opening being curved upwardly whereby a line passing along the diameter of each opening is substantially horizontal when said tube is in a horizontal position, one of said openings being closed by a cover secured to said tube, said cover having a plurality of air access openings formed therein.

5. The playground capsule of claim 4 which includes end support bands secured about said tube adjacent either end thereof, shock-absorbing means secured to said end support bands and mounted thereby on the underside of said tube, and an elongated rigid support keel secured to said tube and extending longitudinally along the underside thereof, said support keel conforming to the outer configuration of said tube.

jacent the ends thereof, said shock-absorbing means operating to contact a support surface for said capsule when said tube pivots about the horizontal axis to impart a spring action to said tube.

9. The playground capsule of claim I wherein a cover is secured to close one end of said tube, said cover including a plurality of air access openings formed therein.

ill. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein said tube is formed of transparent material. 

1. A playground capsule comprising an elongated tube dimensioned to receive one or more children interiorly thereof and support assembly means secured to said tube for supporting said tube for motion about both a horizontal and a vertical axis located in a plane which passes through the capsule approximately midway between the ends of a capsule and generally transverse to the longest dimension.
 2. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein said tube is formed with a plurality of curved undulations along the length thereof.
 3. The playground capsule of claim 2 wherein said tube is formed of transparent, plastic material, said support assembly means including a support band secured about said tube centrally thereof, a vertically extending pivot post, means securing said support band to the upper end of said pivot post for pivotal movement relative thereto about a hOrizontal axis, and base means for receiving said pivot post, said base means permitting rotational movement of said pivot post about a vertical axis.
 4. The playground capsule of claim 3 wherein said tube is provided with openings in either end thereof, the end sections of said tube adjacent said opening being curved upwardly whereby a line passing along the diameter of each opening is substantially horizontal when said tube is in a horizontal position, one of said openings being closed by a cover secured to said tube, said cover having a plurality of air access openings formed therein.
 5. The playground capsule of claim 4 which includes end support bands secured about said tube adjacent either end thereof, shock-absorbing means secured to said end support bands and mounted thereby on the underside of said tube, and an elongated rigid support keel secured to said tube and extending longitudinally along the underside thereof, said support keel conforming to the outer configuration of said tube.
 6. The playground capsule of claim 2 wherein said curved undulations are relatively offset to each other impart a spiral configuration to said tube.
 7. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein said tube is provided with openings in either end thereof, the end sections of said tube adjacent said openings being curved upwardly whereby a line passing along the diameter of each opening is substantially horizontal when said tube is in a horizontal position.
 8. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein shock-absorbing means are secured to the underside of said tube adjacent the ends thereof, said shock-absorbing means operating to contact a support surface for said capsule when said tube pivots about the horizontal axis to impart a spring action to said tube.
 9. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein a cover is secured to close one end of said tube, said cover including a plurality of air access openings formed therein.
 10. The playground capsule of claim 1 wherein said tube is formed of transparent material. 